Plating apparatus.



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GERHARD T. IPOTTHOFF, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW Y0.

PLTING APPARATUS.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

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Application :tiled August 16, 1916. Serial No. 115,587.

To all whom it may concern.'

lBe it known that I, GERHARD T. Porr- Horr, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plating Apparatus, of which the following is a` 'I analogous tothe aforementioned, one of the main features to be considered is the actuation of the articles to be coated in such manner that they may be completely and effectively coated throughout their entire surface area. lt has been found that the provision of a container in the nature of a rotatable drum that can be alternately and intermittently rotated in either direction is conducive to a very high grade of product. To this end the present invention contemplates the provision of a 'new and eflicient mechanism for alternately and intermittently rotating a drum first in one direction, arresting the operation, and then rotating the drum in the opposite direction.

A principal feature of the present invention is the provision of means whereby the bath is energized substantially simultaneously with the initiation of the actuation of the drum, and in turn the bath denergized 'substantially simultaneously with the arresting of the drum.

rll`hese and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the sub-joined detail descri tion of one specific embodiment thereof il ustrated 1n the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a partial end elevation of the. o

, toward one another and spaced a short dlsapparatus.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same Fig. Sis a transverse section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 4 is a fragmental view, partly 1n sec-` tionz lalong the line 1r-4 'of Flg. 2.l

Fig. 5 is a fra mental v1ew, partly in section, along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental side elevation showing the switch mechanism.

lln the embodiment illustrated, there is provided a housing H composed of an insulating material such as wood, forming the main tank in which is rotatably disposed a drum D provided with a cover C for properly closing the entranceway to such drum. flhe drum D is provided with suitable openlngsv 0 formed in its cylindrical wall through which the fluid of the bath contained 1n said main tank may freely How into such drum` D. The drum D is provided withr a suitable stub shaft S having the ends 12 and 13, the end 12 being secured to the face 14 of the drum D, which face is preferably composed of a suitable non-conducting ma-` terial, while the end 13 is secured to the face of the drum D on which the large gear 15 is secured, which gear 15 is preferably composed of suitable non-conducting material. The end 12 is journaled in the bearing 16 which is secured to the end wall 21 of the housing H and connected by the conductor 17 with the' return lead 18vwhich is connected to a suitable main source of'electric current C. Tlie end 13 is jornaled in the bearing 19 secured to the end wall 20 of the housingn H.

For con ucting current to the bath c011- tained in the housing H there is provided the short conducting rod 22, the long conducting rod 26, the conducting plates 27 and 28 secured to the rods 22 and 26 respectively, andthe conducting main 29 connecting said rods to Vone another. g T he short conducting rod 22 is mounted and supported by the brackets 23 and 24, the bracket 23 being mounted on the side wall 25 and the brackety 24 mounted on the end wall 21. The long conducting rod 26 is mounted and supported by the brackets 30 and 31, the bracket 30 being mounted on the end wall 20, and the bracket 31 being mounted on the end wall 21. The anodes 27 and 28 extend into the housing H below .the axial center of the drum D, partially encircling` the drum D, and lhave their respective ends extend tance from one another. The ends of the rods 22 and 26 extending beyond the end wall 21 are connected to one another by the conducting main 29. From the foregoing it will be seen that current may be supplied to the rod 22, thereby passfrom the plate 27 through the electrolytic bath to the chain 82 supported on the shaft S, through the end 12 ofA the shaft S to the bearing 16 from the bearing 16 to the conductor 17, and then to the return lead 18, or else pass from the rod 22 through the main 29 to the rod 26, then from the rod 26 down the plate 28 into the electrolytic bath, and from the electrolytic bath to the chain 82 on the shaft S from which, as aforesaid, to the return lead 18.

v The bracket 23, which is composed of a conducting material, is provided with a switch lplate 32 slidably mounted thereon which is adapted to engage the spring plate 33 when desired, the sprlng plate 33 being connected to the main source of electric curv rent C by the lead 34. The plate 32 is sepulleys 61 and 62,.

cured to the insulating block 35 which is secured to the lever 36. The lever 36 is pivotally connected to the plate 37 and intermediate to its length is provided with a downwardly extending arm 38, which arm 38 and lever 36 are provided with rollers 39 opposite to one another and both engaging in the groove 40 of the collar 41. The' collar 41 is fixed to the small gear 42'which is adapted to mesh.with the gear 15. The collar 41 and the gear 42 are slidably mounted on the shaft 43 but keyed thereto to rotate therewith, the shaft 43 being journaled in the bearing 44. Fixed to the shaft 43 iS the bevel gear 45 which is constantly in mesh with the bevel gears 46 and 47 which are loosely mounted on the shaft 48 and confined by the arms 49 and 50 which extend over and are secured to the end wall 20. Slidably mounted between the gears 46 and 47 on the shaft 48 but keyed thereto is the clutch member 51 which is provided with opposite clutch faces 52 and 53 for engagement with the clutch faces 54 and 55 of the bevel gears 46 and 47 respectively.

rlhe shaft 48 on one end is provided with a worm Wheel 56 which is in mesh with the worm 57 on the shaft 58 mounted in the bearings 59 and 60. The shaft 58 is provided with a fixed pulley ,61 and an idle pulley 62 which may be connected with aY suitable source `of power by a belt (not shown). For shifting the belt of such 'the rod 63 is provided with the belt guides 64 and 65 between which guides 64 and 65,the belt extends and the lever guides 66 and 67 between which guides 66 and 67 the lever 36 extends. distance between the guides 66` and 67 is considerably greater than the width of the lever 36, and consequently it will be seen that when the lever 36 is actuated to bring its plate 32 out of contact with the spring plate 33, such contact will be broken before the belt has been removed from the fixed pulley 61, and thus the bath will be denergized before the drum is arrested.

For alternately actuating the drum D,the

provided with a slot The following mechanism has been provided: A stub shaft 68 is provided on the end of which the lever 69 is pivotally mounted, the upper end of which lever is provided with lingers 70 engaging the groove 71 of the clutch member 51. Pivotally connected to the lever 69 is the cam link 72 provided with a link slot 73 through which the shaft 74 of the worm wheel 75 extends. The pivotal connection between the cam link 72 and the lever 69 is flexible, the cam link 72 being' 103, having the springs 104 and 105, one at each end of the slot 103, which springs 104 and 105 strain between them the pivotal pin 106 on the lever 69. By this flexible arrangement the strain on the lever 69, when the clutch faces do not immediately register, will be entirely taken up. The shaft 74 is journaled in the vbearing 76 formed on the plate 77 which is secured to the end wall 20. The worm wheel 75 meshes with the worm 78 formed on the shaft 48. Fixed to the worm wheel 75 is the cam 79, on opposite sides of which the rollers and 81 of the link 72 travel, by the coperation of which rollers 80 and 81 with such cams 79, the link 72 is reciprocated, the cam 79 being formed so that the link will dwell at both termini of its movement, and therewith permit the clutch face 53 at one time to engage the clutch face 55 to actuate the drum D in one direction, and at another time permit the cam face 52 to engage the came face 54 thereby to actuate the drum D in the other direction.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the actuation of the lever 36 will substantially simultaneously bring the contact with the plate 33 to initiate the electrolytic action of the bath, bring the gear 42 into engagement with the gear 15 to permit the rotation of the drum D, and also actuate the belt guides 64 and 65 to bring the belt onto the fixed driving pulley 61.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows: After the tank H is filled with a suitable electrolytic solution, the drum D filled with the articles to be plated or galvanized, the cover C secured so that the articles will be retained in said drum while the same is rotated, the lever 36 swung to contact plate 32 with plate 33 lthereby to energize the electrolytic bath, the gear 42 vided plate 32 into y lid Vfor connecting the anode raaaeca The sockets 100 and 101- are disposed on either side of the lever 69, and the lever 69V is provided with a curved switch plate 102, which is adapted to engage the socket 100 when the lever 69 swings to one side, and

to engage the socket 101 when the lever 69' swings to the other side. rllhe plate 102 and sockets 100 and 101 are so timed that when the lever 69 is in its neutral position, that is, maintaining out of engagement with both sets of clutch faces, the plate 102 will be disengaged from. the sockets and thus simultaneously with the arrest of the drum, the electrolytic action of the bath will be arrested. ln turn, when Vthe clutch faces 52 and 5A are in engagement with one another, tion, the plate 102 will be in engagement with the socket 100, and when the clutch' faces 53 and 55 are in engagement with one l' another, to rotate the drum in the other direction, the plate 102 will be in engagement with the socket 101, and thus the electrolytic action will always accompany and be simul taneous with the rotation of the drum D.

lt is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

1. A plating apparatus comprising a container, and means for rotating the container a plurality of revolutions in one direction, and then rotating the container a plurality of revolutions in the opposite direction.

"2. A plating apparatus for articles comprising a container to hold the articles, and means for rotating the container a predetermined number of revolutions in one direction and then rotating the container a predetermined number of revolutions in the opposite direction. p

3. A plating apparatus comprising a tank; a plating solution in the tank; a container in said tank; and means for actuating the container in one direction, and then actuating the container in the opposite direction. l

4. A plating vapparatus comprising a tank; a barrel rotatably mounted in said tankya cathode in the barrel; an anode in the tank; means for rotating the barrel in alternately opposite directions; and means and the cathode to a source of current and disconnecting one of them from such source when the Ibarrel is not in motion. j

10o and 10i,k

to rotate the drum D in one direc-` for conducting a current through 5. The method of electroplating articles consistin in placing the articles in a container su merged in a plating solution, rotating the container in one direction and then rotating the container in the opposite direction.

6. The method of electroplating articles consistin in placing the articles 1n a container su merged in a plating solution, 'rotating the container a predetermined number of revolutions in one direction and then rotating the container the same number of revolutions inthe opposite direction.

7. The method of electroplating articles consisting. in placing the articles 1n a container submerged in a platin solution, rotating the container a plura ityl of revolutions in `one direction, arresting the rotation thereof, and then rotating the container a plurality of revolutions in the opposite direction.

8. A device of the character described comprising a bath forming tank a container rotatably mounted said ta actuating means for successively rotating said container in one direction, arresting the actua# tion of said container, and then rotating said container in the other direction means the bath of said tank, said actuating means comprising a lever connected to said conducting means and said actuating means and operable to substantiallysimultaneously connect said conducting means and initiate the actu' ation of said actuating means, cam means for reciprocating said lever, a switch plate on said lever, and sockets in said current conducting means, the switch late connecting with onel or the other soc et according to the position of the lever and being disconnected from either socket when the container is at rest.

9. A device of the character described comprising a bath forming tank, a container rotatably mounted in said tank, actuating means for successively' rotating said container in one direction, arresting the actuan tion of said container, and then rotating said container in the other direction, sai actuating means comprising a first shaft parallel tothe axis of said container, means for .connecting said `first shaft to actuate said container, a second shaft transverse to said first shaft, a bevel gearl on said first shaft, two oppositely facing bevel gears on said second shaft, a clutch for alternately engaging saidoppositely facing bevelngears, a lever pivotally connected to said ta the upper end of which lever is in engagement with said clutch, a stub shaft. a worm Wheel on said stubshaft, a worm on said second shaft in mesh with said worm wheel, a cam on sid worm wheel, a cam link, and resilient connecting means forconnecting said Meegos cam link with said lever, whereby the lever lever and being disconnected from either 1s reeiprocated, a switch plate on said lever, socket when the container is at rest.

current conducting means for conducting current through the path of said tank, GERHARD T POTTHOFF' 5 sockets in said current conducting means, Witnesses:

the switch plate connectin with one or the KURT T. Po'rrHoFF,

other socket according to t e position of the FRED. J. Dom. 

